Ladipo auto spare parts market closed down

Lagos state government closed down the city's Ladipo auto spare parts market on 25 February over cases of "environmental nuisance and gross abuse of public infrastructure and utilities." 

The closure of the sprawling Ladipo – reputedly the largest market of its kind in west Africa – followed several warnings from the state government over the deteriorating condition of the market located in the Mushin district of north-central Lagos. 

In the early hours of 25 February, officials from the state's Environmental and Special Offences Unit sealed off the area under orders from the environment commissioner Tunji Bello, and teargas was deployed to prevent traders from accessing the market. 

Offences listed included hooliganism, lack of toilet facilities, degradation of the environment with diesel and fuel products, and illegal buildings. Bello said he would only consider reopening the market if all illegal structures were removed and providing that traders operated within the confines of the market. 

In late January Bello and his officials shut down the fruit and vegetable markets at Mile 12 and Jakande (popularly known as Ketu), over failure to comply with the state's sanitation laws.